One of our readers sent us this suggestion for making the most of your summer vacations:

"Another summer activity parents may want to consider are college visits while traveling on your vacations. Even with younger students, it can be a great way to see and talk about potential colleges & various features of colleges."

When filling out the FAFSA form, be sure to do so on the official FAFSA website. There are other similar websites you may see, but these will usually charge you a fee. The FAFSA website application process is free.

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is an important first step in applying for college financial aid. The Adventures in Education website answers many questions regarding the FAFSA and provides a free video that describes the FAFSA process.

During the high school years, encourage your teen to keep adding to his vocabulary.The Merriam-Webster Dictionary web site has a word of the day feature that provides not only the word’s meaning and usage, but also background information.Perhaps you’ll want to provide your teens with a certain number of new vocabulary words as a goal and then surprise them with a small reward when they reach it!

As you and your family take those family vacations, encourage your children to chronicle them in writing, art, or even music. Your high schoolers may be able to use some of these experiences in writing essays for next year's English course or to include in your family's book of memories for future enjoyment.